Machine for flattening tobacco-stems



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

1-". LAUHOPF. MAGHINE FOR FLATITENING TOBACCO STEMS. No. 333,867. Patented Jan. 5, 1886.

WITNESSES 5% $2M. 1 jw. W41

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. LAUHO PF.

MACHINE FOR FLATTENING TOBACCO STEMS.

No. 333,867. Patented Jan. 5, 1886.

.7; WITNESSES INVENTOR N. PETERS. Phuio-Lulhngnpher. wan-" m. 0.0

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK LAUHOFF, OF

DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

MACHINE FOR FLATTENING TOBACCO'STEMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 333,867, dated January 5, 1886. Application filed June 6, 1885. Serial No. 167,871. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK LAUHOFF, of Detroit, county of WVayne, State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Flattening Tobacco Stems; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention consists of the combinations of devices hereinafter specified, and more par ticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figurel is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a separate view of the rollers and their driving-gear in plan. Fig. 3 is a separate end View partly in section. Fig. 4 is a separate view of one of the scrapers. Fig. 5 is a separate view of the sponge-roller in section. Fig. 6 is a separate view of the adjusting mechan ism; and Fig. 7 is a plan view of the machine.

1 construct and carry out my invention as follows: A is any supporting-frame. B B represent crushing-rolls mounted thereon. b b are the shafts of said rolls.

13 represents stationary boxes, in which the roll B is jonrnaled.

B represents sliding boxes, in which the roll B is journaled, the construction being such that said roll may be adjusted to and from the roll B to the desired distance.

I) b represent gears upon the ends of the shafts b b, respectively.

0 is the driving-shaft; c, the driving-pulley; c, a pinion meshing with the gear I), for driving the rolls.

D D represent scrapers mounted on shafts d d, and arranged to engage against the surface of the rollers B B, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3. d (1 represent crankarms of said shafts. D D represent springs engaged with the outer ends of said crankarms and bearing against the frame, the construction being such that a constant pressure will be exerted to keep the edges of the scrapers against the rolls, but which at the same time will permit the scrapers to yield, as may be required.

E represents a sponge-roller, constructed in any suitable manner, for moistening the rolls. This roller may consist of the shaft 6, having sponge material engaged thereon. I prefer to provide the shaft with end plates, e e made adjustable on the shaft, and by which the sponge may be compressed, as desired.

.F represents an apron for carrying the material to the rolls. F and F are its supports.

To adjust the roller B, its boxes are engaged with rods G, said rods being connected with eccentric-straps H. g g are springs engaged upon said rods, which may be given any desired tension by means of the nuts 9', which engage the rods with the eccentricstraps. I is the shaft upon which said straps are mounted.

I represents bearings for the shaft I.

J is an adj listing-shaft provided with a handwheel, j, said shaft being constructed with a worm-gear, as shown at j, the shaft I being provided with a gear, 1 meshing with said worm-gear, the construction being such that, as the hand-wheel is turned in either direction, the shaft I will be adjusted to or fro, as the case may be.

The sponge-roll is preferably provided with a driving-pulley, E, to give it motion in the opposite direction from what it would have by mere frictional contact with the roller B, the object being to wipe said roller. This sponge-roll is engaged with the brackets A, attached to the supporting-frame.

As shown in Fig. 2, I provide the roller B with a gear, 12 the roller B so as to give it a more rapid rotation than the other. By giving one of the rollers a swifter rotation than the other in this or any other suitable manner the consequence is that the slower roller tends to hold the stems while the faster roller crushes and flattens them much more effectually than would be the case if both had a similar speed. The spongeroll E is engaged with the faster roller to moisten it, the slower roller forming a bearing against which the faster roller operates in crushing and flattening out the stems. In this manner the stems may be made very thin, so that they can be readily worked up like the leaf itself.

The brackets A serve as a chute to carry made smaller than the gear of other, the side brackets, A A, forming a chute,

and the moistening-roller E, supported by said brackets or chute and engaged with the faster crushing-roll, substantially as described.

2. A t0bacc0-stem-flattening machine comprising the supporting-frame A, having side brackets, A A, forming a chute, the crush-'.

ing-rolls B B, one of which is adjustable and 15 geared to rotate faster than the other, the apron F, for feeding the material to the chute and crushing-rolls, the yielding scrapers D D, and a moistening-roller, E, supported by the chute and engaged with the faster crushing-roll, sub- 20 stantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two Witnesses.

FRANK LAUHOFF.

WVitnesses:

N. S. WRIGHT, M. B. ODOGHERTY. 

